


Switched

by Trinadecker



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Body Swap, F/F, Swan Queen - Freeform, body switch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-21
Updated: 2014-08-13
Packaged: 2018-01-05 20:22:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trinadecker/pseuds/Trinadecker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She knew where she was, and she didn’t like it. She’d been here once before, to threaten somebody.<br/>Emma Swan. She was in Emma’s room.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually forgot that I'd written this and only found it yesterday. I feel like it's a nice addition, but it's definitely the first thing to happen so I'm making it the new first chapter. If you haven't seen this part before, that's why.

The sun glared in Emma’s eyes and she groaned, pressing her head further into the pillow. She was exceptionally comfortable, she thought, curling her legs up. Her bare skin skated over silken fabric, and the mattress beneath her was soft and fluffy.

Which was all a bit weird, because not only was her mattress in Mary Margaret’s apartment a little too hard for her, but her sheets were made of cotton and she could swear she’d crawled into bed in her jeans last night. 

Not wanting to open her eyes and leave the state of half-slumber she was residing in, she smoothed a hand over the sheets. Definitely silk. Had she spent the night in somebody else’s bed? 

Emma’s eyes fluttered open and she squinted at the room around her. It wasn’t Mary Margaret’s apartment, that was for sure. Mary Margaret’s place had a sweet, homey feel to it. This room was perfectly neat. It almost felt cold, with walls of silvery gray and bedsheets to match. Emma pushed herself into a sitting position and threw off the covers, raising her eyebrows at what she saw. A pale blue, silky nightgown had ridden up around her thighs. 

Her thighs, which she could swear looked a few shades darker than they should. 

Her legs themselves looked different, she thought. The structure was slimmer; they weren’t as muscular as she was used to. She was also missing the tiny nicks and scars that she’d accumulated through the years. She reached down to pull the nightie back over her legs, noticing that her fingernails were perfectly filed and manicured. “Mom?” A knock at the door made her jump and she pulled the sheet over herself once more. She recognized the voice -- Henry’s. 

But...he was staying at Regina’s. 

“Henry?” She nearly choked over the word when her voice reached her ears. It wasn’t hers at all, but she recognized it: dark and sultry, with a burn like liquor. It was a voice that had made her chest flutter and heat pool in her abdomen on more than one occasion, not that she’d ever admit it. 

Regina’s voice. She was speaking in Regina’s voice. 

The door opened just a crack and Henry poked his head in. “I’m going to school now.” He squinted his eyes at her, his head tipping slightly to the side. “Are you okay? Usually you don’t stay in bed this late.”

“I’m fine, Henry, I’m just...not feeling well at the moment.” Emma managed to get the words out fairly calmly, though she couldn’t match Regina’s manner of speaking. The patterns of her speech sounded odd in Regina’s normally poised voice and she drifted off towards the end. She gave the best smile she could manage, the movement feeling odd as her lips--Regina’s lips--slid over unfamiliar teeth. “Have a good day at school, okay?” 

“Thanks mom. I hope you feel better.” Henry flashed her a smile before ducking out of the door and closing it. Emma waited until she heard his footsteps die off as he pounded down the stairs and out the front door. 

Emma sighed, running a hand over her face, only to pull it away when she felt unfamiliar curves and planes. Curious, she lifted a hand to her hair and ran it through the dark locks. They seemed to cut off much too quickly, though Emma knew it was exactly how long Regina liked her hair.

How the hell had this happened?

Regina? She immediately shook her head, dispelling the thought from her mind. What benefit would Regina get from putting Emma in her own body? No, Regina wouldn’t take that risk. It was possible that Regina was now inside her own body, but if she’d wanted to impersonate her all she had to do was flick her hand and magic would allow her to appear and sound as her, without the risk of Emma messing up her own body. Gold, then? Same problem there: What would Gold want with switching them?

Emma groaned, the noise coming out deep and throaty. She wasn’t going to think about the fact that the sound had an effect on her, even now that she was the one producing it. 

She slid herself out of the bed, stumbling a few times as she got used to the feeling of walking on Regina’s feet. Chances were that if she was in Regina’s body, Regina was in hers, and if anyone would know how to reverse this, it would be her. She’d head to Mary Margaret’s apartment and see if Regina had any idea what had happened, and more importantly, how to fix it.

She stopped abruptly when she caught her reflection in the mirror, realizing that she was still clothed in Regina’s rather revealing nightgown. 

She had to...get dressed. 

Which meant getting undressed. 

Maybe she’d try calling first. 

It took Emma a good ten minutes of searching to find Regina’s cell phone. For a woman who kept her home meticulously organized, she kept things in odd places. Emma found the phone in a drawer in the study, where Regina probably wouldn’t hear it if it went off. Maybe that was on purpose. 

Emma hit the power button and nearly groaned again when the screen glowed to life and prompted her for a passcode. 

And of course, as Henry had told her before, the Mills didn’t own a home phone. 

Lovely. 

She’d tried to get dressed as quickly as possible, and without looking at Regina’s body as she did so. It had proved a hard task, especially when she discovered that Regina apparently didn’t wear any underwear to sleep. She’d had to paw through Regina’s drawers to look for something that wasn’t lacy or sexy-- apparently Regina had a thing for lingerie --and eventually managed to find a pair of microfiber boyshorts. She settled for the most casual clothing she could find in Regina’s closet: a pair of slacks and a blouse. She tugged them on quickly, not wanting to remain unclothed for very long. It was awkward. 

When she knocked on the door of Mary Margaret’s apartment her hand was shaking, and she took a deep breath to try and compose herself. She was shifting back and forth in the pair of sneakers she’d dug from the back of Regina’s closet -- apparently the only shoe the mayor owned that wasn’t some form of heel. She shoved her shaking fists into the pockets of her jeans. 

She jumped when the door swung open, Mary Margaret peeping her head out before pulling it all the way open and stepping into the doorway. 

“Regina! What are you doing here?” The schoolteacher tipped her head to the side, a mix of suspicion and curiosity crossing her features. She glanced down, taking in the causal outfit and the fact that the other woman was still squirming nervously. “Is everything alright?” She obviously had no idea what was going on. 

“I, uh…” She panicked for a moment. Maybe she should see if Regina was actually in her body. She wasn’t sure if she wanted her to be or not. “Is Emma home?” She eventually settled on the words, the question feeling odd in her mouth. 


	2. Chapter 2

Regina awoke with a groan. Her muscles were sore and the bed beneath her felt a little too solid. Her legs were encased in tight, restraining fabric, and no bedcovers kept out the chill of the air around her. She must have kicked the blankets off in her sleep.

She pushed herself into a sitting position, and, feeling slightly disoriented, rubbed her eyes before opening them. When she did, she kind of wished she hadn’t.

She knew where she was, and she didn’t like it. She’d been here once before, to threaten somebody.

Emma Swan. She was in Emma’s room.

She glanced down, the comfort of the fact that she was still fully clothed fleeing when she realized that the clothing wasn’t hers. She hadn’t worn jeans in years, and she certainly wouldn’t wear them to bed.

Apprehension flashed through her chest. She hadn’t…no.

A quick hand to her hair confirmed her fears as she pulled long blonde locks into her field of vision.

She let out a groan, unsurprised at the soft voice that came out. This had happened to her before, a long time ago. Long before she’d cast the curse, long before she’d even become the “evil” version of herself. She’d been learning magic from Rumplestiltskin and some spell had gone awry, and she’d ended up in the body of a servant girl for a full day before he’d finally switched them back. She scowled, recalling the way he’d waited until he’d had his fill of amusement before casting them back into their own bodies.

Regina scrubbed a hand over her face. She needed to find out how this had happened before she could reverse it, and that could take days in Storybrooke. Magic was different here, and spells worked in unfamiliar ways. She wasn’t sure she could figure out how to undo it without enlisting the help of Gold. She wasn’t sure he’d be so willing to come to their aid -- he very well could have been the one to cast the curse in the first place. After all, he was really the only one who could work magic in Storybrooke, besides herself.

And Emma, she thought, scowling again as she remembered that the blonde was slowly learning. Perhaps that was how this had all come about. Maybe the so-called Savior had made the same mistake she had.

She shifted Emma’s body out of bed, thankful that the woman slept in a good amount clothing.

Oh, great.

She couldn’t say the same for herself. Emma was in for a surprise when she woke up.

Regina noted the black band of the ponytail holder that Emma kept around her wrist and scraped her tangled blonde hair back into a makeshift bun. Usually she liked her hair to be neat and precise, but this wasn’t her body and she was hardly concerned with appearances right now. Letting out a huff of air, she stretched, cracking Emma’s spine as she did so. That bed really was uncomfortable.

She made her way down the creaking stairs of Snow’s apartment, steeling herself for the undoubtedly awkward discussion that was yet to come.

She was met with the scent of bacon and pancakes wafting from the kitchenette, the sight of the short-haired woman bent over the stove sending a pang through her chest. She ignored it, pushing forward into the kitchen.

Snow turned at the sound of her footsteps, a bright smile crossing her lips. “Emma, you’re awake! Up for breakfast?” She gestured to the pans in front of her. “I made enough for everyone.”

The dull ache to Regina’s chest returned. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had somebody cook for her without orders. She couldn’t remember the last time anybody had cared enough.

“Sure,” She whispered, unable to resist the desire for something so...domestic. She let herself enjoy the feeling for a fleeting second before sitting down at the bar in front of Mary Margaret. “I need to talk to you.” She was sure Snow could hear the nervous waver in her voice. She frowned. Emma’s voice gave away too much emotion. There was no barrier. She didn’t like it; it made her feel naked.

Snow turned around, a sympathetic look on her face. “Emma, is this about Regina again?”

“What?” Regina raised her eyebrows, trying to calm the look of surprise that she was sure had crossed her face. Emma talked about her? Surely it was something negative. “What about Regina?”

Snow gave her a knowing smile, amusement sparkling in her eyes. “Emma, don’t pretend you don’t know. What you told me last night.”

“What I told you last night?” She echoed, feeling a bit lost.

“Emma, come on.” Snow’s smile grew wider and she turned to take the final pancake off the stove before setting the spatula to the counter and wiping her hands on her apron. “I really do think you should just...go for it. I've seen the way she looks at you and to be honest, I think there’s a chance she feels the same way.”

What?

“Feels the same way about what?” Regina stuttered over the words, a look of shock that she was helpless to prevent crossing her features.

“You know what I’m talking about, Emma. You've got feelings for her and the best thing you can do is take a risk and let her know. If she doesn't feel the same way, it’s going to hurt, but at least you tried. And if she does…” Snow gave a shrug and let her voice trail off as she reached for a plate from the cabinet. When she turned again she’d placed a pancake and a few strips of bacon on the ceramic surface, and she slid them across the bar to Regina. “Trust me, Emma. You lose more by not telling her.”

“I…” Regina felt her eyes widen, and she was pretty sure her jaw had fallen open. “Is this some kind of trick?”

Snow looked at her quizzically, concern flashing over her expression. “A trick? What are you talking about?”

“You’re...you’re serious?” Regina leaned forward, peering at the younger woman.

“Of course I’m serious, Emma. I mean, it took me a while to get used to the idea, I’ll admit that much. But if you can see the good in her, so can I. I knew her before she lost sight of herself. She had good in her once and I believe that that woman is still there, deep inside. Maybe you can help to bring her back out.”

Regina opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a soft, tentative knock at the door. Snow moved to answer it, laying her hand on Regina’s shoulder and shooting her a comforting smile as she passed. She sat there unmoving, too stunned to think.

“Regina! What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”

Regina jumped at the mention of her name and spun to face the door. She couldn't see Emma -- she had no doubt it was Emma inside her body -- but she could hear her.

“I, uh…” She shuddered at the way her voice sounded so soft and weak in Emma’s hesitation. So much like her old self. Regina pushed the thought away, attempting to refocus on the present. “Is Emma home?”


	3. Chapter 3

Emma felt a flood of relief as Mary Margaret let her inside the apartment. She stopped dead as she was met with the sight of herself, staring at her slack-jawed and wide-eyed. Regina quickly composed herself, jaw snapping shut and face becoming impassive. Her eyes still skimmed over her own body, and Emma could see the curiosity shining in them. She couldn't blame her--Emma was still taking in the way Regina's stance sat on her body. It looked, quite frankly, ridiculous. Regina's usually regal poise only looked boxy and out of place on Emma's guarded form.

"Can you fix it?" She wasted no time. It was obvious that Regina was indeed inside her body, and the sooner they could switch back the better. Still, Emma was acutely aware of the hesitation in her voice as she spoke. It sounded foreign in Regina's tones.

The other woman shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. "I can't do anything until I know how it happened in the first place. You weren’t practicing any magic last night, were you?" Regina raised her eyebrows.

"Fix what?" Mary Margaret inquired, closing the door softly and bringing her hand up to toy with her necklace. "What's wrong?" 

Emma and Regina exchanged a glance. Regina looked uncharacteristically hesitant, but it was her who spoke first. 

"I'm...not Emma." She avoided eye contact as she waved a hand at her own body. "She's Emma." 

“Oh.” Mary Margaret glanced between the two women, her eyes eventually settling on Regina. “Oh.” Her hand flew from her necklace to cover her mouth as her jaw dropped. “Oh, god. And I said…” 

“You said what?” Emma prompted. She felt as if her chest was tightening. 

“Nothing.” Regina snapped, her eyes to the floor. “It was nothing important. Can we just get back to the situation here?” 

“...Right.” Emma quirked an eyebrow, but she avoided eye contact. She could feel the unmistakable burn in her cheeks as she blushed. Mary Margaret seemed distressed, and if she’d mentioned what Emma thought she’d mentioned...she pushed it to the back of her mind. If that was the case, she could figure out how to deal with it later. “Regina, can you fix this?” 

She shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest. “Were you by any chance practicing magic last night?” 

“No. Why?” 

“Because I need to figure out how this happened before I can fix it.” 

“Why?” 

“Because that’s how magic works,” she growled before bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose. “Anything at all? Have you felt anything unusual? Any odd-tasting food, strange smells?” 

Emma shook her head, acutely aware of the way her chopped locks skimmed across her shoulders. The sooner she got her own body back the better. She didn’t like the idea of Regina having full reign of her body. “No, nothing.” 

Regina let out a puff of air. “Great. Then we have no idea how to reverse this. I could try the usual remedies, but I’m not sure they’ll work. Magic is...different here.” 

Emma processed Regina’s words. I’m not sure they’ll work. She imagined being stuck in Regina’s body forever. Which, really, wouldn’t be bad on the aesthetic side, she thought as she caught a glimpse of her reflection. She certainly hadn’t minded waking up in Regina’s nightie. But...no. Being in someone else’s body felt wrong, and not just because of the physical differences. It felt awkward somehow, like she didn’t belong. Of course she didn’t. 

She didn’t like the idea of somebody taking possession of hers either. 

“Gold?” 

Both women jumped slightly at the sound of Mary Margaret’s voice. Emma had gotten lost in her thoughts, and Regina’s fist was clenched around the edge of the bar, knuckles white. God, she looked almost as disturbed as Mary Margaret did worried. 

Worried, and yet oddly unphased. She seemed more distraught about whatever she’d blabbed than the fact that her daughter had switched bodies with her stepmother. Emma wondered if maybe something similar had happened to her during her days in the Enchanted Forest. 

“He’s going to be our best bet,” Regina sighed, snapping Emma out of her thoughts once more. “But let me try first. I don't want to go to him until we have no other option.”

\--

Regina had been in her vault for hours now, supposedly concocting potion after potion while Emma paced anxiously outside. The heels she’d pulled from the mayor’s closet were hardly suitable for the situation and she’d kicked them aside in a matter of minutes, opting to go barefoot. Damn Regina’s wardrobe. The only comfortable clothes Emma had found in her house were pajamas, and she didn’t think Regina would appreciate her parading around town in her bedclothes. She’d been forced into the woman’s usual (and uncomfortable) ensemble of slacks and a blouse, which, really, wasn’t that bad. What had really made her groan was the assortment of heels in the closet. All were at least three inches, and the only pair of tennis shoes she’d seen had been ratty and carefully tucked out of sight in the corner. Emma had put up with them for a good few hours. Now she was done. Mary Margaret had scowled from where she was sitting against the vault wall, but her only comment was that Regina wouldn’t like it. Screw what Regina would like, she missed her boots. 

Eventually Emma settled next to Mary Margaret, taking just a moment to collect the shoes and place them neatly beside her. Okay, maybe she did care about what Regina liked. Just a little. Certainly not enough to slip the deadly pumps back on. 

“Are you going to ask me about it?” 

Mary Margaret’s voice startled her. The majority of the time they’d been waiting had been spent in silence, and Emma had gotten used to it. “Ask you about what?” 

The woman shrugged, her shoulders brushing against Emma’s. “What I said to you. Regina-you, I mean. This morning.” 

“I figure I already know what you said.” She pursed her lips, reaching out to pluck a few blades of grass from the cemetery’s lawn, seeking a distraction.

“And you’re not mad?” Her mother’s voice cracked slightly. 

Emma shrugged. No, she really wasn’t mad. She felt like she should be, but she was more embarrassed than anything. “How did she react?” 

“She thought it was a trick. After that, she just seemed stunned.” Mary Margaret buried her face in her hands. “God, Emma, I’m so sorry. I thought she was you, and when she came down and asked to talk, I just assumed she--you-- wanted to continue the discussion we were having last night, and...” 

“Did you, you know, tell her? Like, explicitly?” Emma tore at the blades in her hands, trying to relieve some stress by shredding them. The thought crossed her mind that Regina might not appreciate her fingers being stained green, but she shrugged it off. She’d already stained her feet by walking barefoot, so why not the fingers? 

“Yes. God, Emma, I am so sorry.”

She sighed. “It’s...fine. I guess we have bigger problems to deal with right now.” A small smile cracked her lips despite the situation. “And hey, at least I don’t have to go through the awkward telling her thing.” She dropped the shredded plant life and risked a glance at her mother. Mary Margaret had taken her face out of her hands and was staring at her feet, but she too was smiling. 

“Looking on the bright side. Looks like you’ve got some Charming in you after all.” 

“I guess so,” Emma laughed. She rested her head back on the stone of the mausoleum, pausing for a few seconds. “How much longer do you think Regina’s going to be?” 

“I’m done.” The sound of Emma’s voice cut through the air, and Emma didn’t think she’d ever get used to hearing Regina’s tones in her own voice. It seemed so out of place. Regina swung the door to the tomb shut behind her, frowning. Bad sign. 

“And?” Still, Mary Margaret sat up hopefully.

“And, we’re still stuck in each other’s bodies. If my methods had worked, we’d be back in our own by now,” Regina snapped, glaring at Mary Margaret. 

“Okay, so it didn’t work.” Emma stood, noting the way Regina scowled at her lack of shoes before her attention turned to Emma’s face. “So what do we do now?” 

Regina sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “We go to Gold.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to update! I've been a bit busy lately and this chapter turned out longer than the others. In addition to this chapter, I've added a chapter at the very beginning. I'd forgotten about it and felt it would add to the story, so if you haven't seen that head back to the beginning!

Laughing. He was _laughing_. Laughing hard enough that he was using his cane to support himself, which made Regina think she might punch him in the face. It was uncharacteristic of Gold and she found it disconcerting. That combined with the fact that she disliked being mocked was enough to set a small ball of irritation alight in her stomach. She sneered at him from across the counter.

“Are you quite finished?” She layered on an extra coat of sarcasm, fully aware of the softening quality of Emma’s voice. It hardly had the same abilities as Regina’s own voice did, and that showed in Gold’s still amused expression. At least he’d stopped laughing and had settled for a smirk. 

“No, as a matter of fact, I’m not.” He shook his head. “The Evil Queen and the Savior, walking a mile in each other’s shoes. I have to say, this is something I did not foresee.” 

“So you weren’t the one who did it?” Mary Margaret piped up from the back. She’d been hanging behind Emma and Regina, no doubt a little wary of the sorcerer. 

Gold peered over Regina’s shoulder at the petite brunette. “No, dear, I was not. As amusing as I find this, I would gain nothing other than a laugh from switching them.” 

“A laugh like you did when I was your student?” Regina narrowed her eyes at Gold. The little imp. She wouldn’t put it past him to repeat the incident for his own entertainment. 

“Quite like that, actually.” He still seemed unaffected by her presence, and anger twisted in her stomach. Damn Emma and her princess voice. 

“I swear, if I find out that you’ve done this, I’ll--” 

“Do you know of anyone else in town who can use magic?” Emma broke in, shifting a bit so she was partly between Gold and Regina. “Because it definitely wasn’t me, it wasn’t Regina, and it apparently wasn’t you.” Gold caught the use of the word ‘apparently’ and raised an eyebrow. 

“Do you not believe me, dearie? I assure you, I didn’t do this. I have other means of entertainment than childish spells. As for your question, no, I do not know of anyone else who is capable of performing such a curse.” 

“Damn,” Emma muttered. “Can you at least fix it?” The desperation was beginning to leak through in Emma’s voice. 

“As I’m sure Regina has informed you, most times curses like these cannot be broken unless you know how they were first cast. There are some more general options, but I assume you’ve already tried those?” He turned to Regina, who nodded. “Right. And since there’s multiple ways to enact a body switch…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I suppose we could try all the methods, but there could be adverse effects.” His eyes focused on Regina, whose face had paled at the mention of side effects. 

“We’ll find out how it was done first.” 

“But--” 

“ _We’ll find out how it was done first,_ ” She snapped, cutting Emma’s protests short. She’d experienced some of those adverse effects firsthand in the past and that was not an experience that she was willing to repeat. “Trust me, you don’t want to go through that.” She shuddered at the memories. The worst one she’d experienced was her skin shedding to reveal a slimy layer of scales up her abdomen and face. She’d confined herself to her castle quarters for days, her only allowed audience a chucking Rumplestiltskin. He’d made twin jokes. 

“Of course, there is one other way. Something that can break any curse.” A glint flashed in Gold’s eye and Regina felt as if her insides had twisted. 

“No.” 

“It was just a suggestion, dearie.” 

“It might work for her, but not for me.” Her voice had gone cold. True love’s kiss was out of the question. Daniel was long gone and Henry...she loved him more than anything in the world, but she wasn’t sure he shared the same affection towards her. 

He smiled. “That won’t do. There are two of you involved in this curse. You’d have to break it simultaneously. Preferably together.” 

“What?” Regina exhaled the word, taken aback. Together? Not a chance. 

“Again, just a suggestion.” The man shrugged before whirling around and heading towards his office in the back of the shop. “It seems I’ve done all I’ve can, so if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to attend to.” 

Emma eyed the older woman as Gold disappeared into the back room. “What the hell was he talking about?” 

“It’s not even an option. Don’t worry about it.” She swallowed hard. Had he really been implying that she and Emma should kiss? Not only kiss, but _true love’s kiss_? Ridiculous. Except that Snow had said Emma felt something for her. Did she feel anything in return? 

Regina crossed her arms over her chest, trying to ignore the pang beneath her ribs. No, she didn’t. She would not feel anything for _Snow White’s _daughter, of all people. The woman she’d hated since she came to town.__

“But he said it could break this curse if we did it right.” A small note of hope had wormed into Emma’s voice, and Regina winced. 

“Emma, do you know what he’s asking?” Mary Margaret’s voice was soft, and Emma turned towards her. 

“Not really, no. Should I?” 

Relief flooded through Regina at Emma’s obliviousness, but she was having a hard time ignoring the fluttering in her abdomen. 

She did not deal well with affection. Romance was never something she’d wanted after Daniel -- she’d fled from it once or twice already. “Forget about it.” Of course they should forget about it. Even if Emma did have feelings for her, and even if she had the tiniest bit of affection towards her --which she didn’t, of course-- there was no way it would be enough to fix this. She hoped Emma noticed the way her words were clipped, but as usual, the sheriff pushed forward. 

“He said--” 

“Let it go, okay?” Regina snapped, pushing by Mary Margaret to get to the door. She heard Emma’s protests behind her, but she didn’t turn. 

“Emma!” They were barely back in Mary Margaret’s apartment for five minutes when David burst in, an uncharacteristic smile on his face as he rushed straight towards Regina. He wrapped his arms around her before she could protest, planting a kiss on her forehead. “You’ll never guess what I--” 

“Get off me, you--!” Regina cut him off, shoving him away. Once she’d been released from his grip, she took a moment to smooth down her clothing, a look of obvious disgust written on her face. “God, we need to fix this. Right now.” She shuddered. Prince Charming. Just her luck. 

“Emma, I’m sorry.” She glanced up at David, who now hung back, hands up and a hurt expression on his face. “I didn’t mean to upset you. Is everything alright?” 

“No,” She sneered, waving a hand at Emma, who was shuffling uncomfortably again. “That’s not me, I’m me. And she’s Emma.” 

David turned in the direction of her gesture and his eyes widened. “Regina?” 

Emma crossed her arms over her chest. “No, I’m Emma.” 

“...Oh.” David’s eyes flickered between the brunette and the blonde. “So I just hugged…?” 

“Regina,” Snow confirmed. 

“Right,” David muttered, ignoring Regina’s grunt of disgust. “You switched?” Emma nodded. “And how did this happen exactly?” 

“We don’t know. We woke up this way.” Emma pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. “Regina tried to fix it and we’ve already been to see Gold. Apparently there’s nothing we can do until we figure out how it was cast and who did it.” 

“Anything I can do to help?” 

Emma shook her head. “I’m not sure there is. Unless you can check out around town, see who else can use magic besides me, Regina, and Gold?” 

David walked over to sling an arm around Emma, pulling her into an awkward embrace. Dammit, why couldn’t Regina have gotten that one instead of the bear hug? “Sure. I’ll head back to the station, then. I’ll call you if I find anything.” 

“Thanks,” Emma muttered, watching as David grabbed his coat and headed out the door. She chewed on her bottom lip, moving to collapse on Mary Margaret’s couch. Regina followed awkwardly, taking a stiff seat on the opposite end. Snow herself had disappeared as soon as David left, no doubt uncomfortable with the situation. “So what now?” 

Regina shrugged, sighing. “We wait, and look for whoever it was that did this.” 

“Who in the hell would want to switch us?” Emma pulled her knees up and turned a foot towards her, running a knuckle along the arch. “God, do you own any shoes that aren’t ridiculous? My feet are killing me.” 

“ _My_ feet are killing you, Miss Swan,” Regina corrected, letting the ghost of a smile turn her lips. Emma just rolled her eyes. 

“Yeah, whatever.” She continued the massage. “Your shoes are all horrible.” 

“At least I don’t sleep in jeans.” Regina raised an eyebrow. “Really, how is that in any way comfortable?” 

Emma ducked her head, a sudden blush creeping over her cheeks. “I fell asleep that way. It was an accident.” She met the other woman’s eyes, the red growing deeper. “At least I don’t sleep in a sexy nightie.” 

Oh, right. She’d forgotten about that. She swallowed, hoping that the heat on her cheeks wasn’t as obvious as it felt. “It’s comfortable.” 

“It wasn’t for me.” 

“Well you’ll have to excuse me, I wasn’t expecting anyone else to see it,” Regina snapped. “And you’re going to have to get over that. We have no leads on who did this and therefore no idea how to fix it. You’re going to have to get over the nudity thing eventually. I already feel like I need a shower.” 

“Coming from you? You’re still wearing the same clothes I had on yesterday. You didn’t want to undress me either.” 

“No, I simply took advantage of the fact that you can’t put yourself in pajamas like an adult.” 

“It was an accident! I just fell asleep!” 

“That doesn’t really help your case.” 

Emma groaned and fell back into the cushions. “Fine, whatever.” 

There was a pause as Emma let her eyes fall shut, and Regina found herself shifting on the couch, unable to get comfortable. 

“Why did you freak out earlier?” 

The other woman’s voice startled her. She turned to see that Emma was no longer curled into the corner, but was sitting up and regarding her curiously. 

“What?” 

“In Gold’s shop. You flipped and ran out.” 

“I…” Regina swallowed. “I was uncomfortable.” She wrung her hands together. She’d been hoping to avoid this topic. 

“Why?” 

She took a breath, not sure whether to bring it up. Finally she met Emma’s eyes. “Because your mother told me something this morning. I don’t think I was meant to hear it.” 

Emma’s dark eyes widened. “Oh,” She breathed, and then she groaned. “Oh. I’d forgotten about that. Shit.” She pulled a pillow over her chest and hugged it to herself. “Just forget about it, okay?.” 

“Emma--” Regina began to protest despite herself. She’d told herself she should forget about what she’d heard, but she was curious. She just wanted confirmation from Emma that is was true, she reasoned with herself. That was all. After that she’d let it go. 

“Please,” Emma repeated, a little more forcefully this time. Her voice cracked a tiny bit towards the end. 

Regina hesitated for a moment, but she gave in. “...Alright.” She sat for a moment before clearing her throat and pushing herself off the couch. “I’m going to go home. Henry will be back from school soon.” 

“I’ll tell Mary Margaret you left.” Emma’s voice was stiff. 

“Right.” Regina swallowed and crossed to the apartment’s door, only pausing to cast a quick glance at the other woman. Emma had pulled the pillow over her face.


	5. Chapter 5

Emma dragged herself onto a bar stool, aware of the stares she was receiving from the diner’s other patrons. She was fully aware that what everyone else saw was an unusual sight: Regina, make-up free and wearing a pair of jeans and a tshirt. Emma was thankful the former mayor wore a similar size as she did, even if it wasn't a perfect fit. The shirt had slipped easily over her torso and was a bit tight on the chest if anything. Emma actually thought she pulled it off better as Regina than as Emma. Figures. The jeans, however, hadn’t been so easy. Regina’s body was more … _curvaceous_ than her own to say the least. Pulling the pants up over her butt and getting them to button had been a struggle. Eventually she’d gotten them, but it was by no means comfortable. They were digging in at the waistband and she suddenly regretted choosing her own clothes over the ones she'd taken from Regina's closet the morning before. She had no doubt that Regina would attempt to put herself in her own wardrobe as well and would turn to find a generous amount of loose fabric. Damn her flat ass. She sank into the bar stool and rested her chin on one palm. Ruby had hurried over as soon as she sat down, looking her disheveled state over with a flicker of surprise on her face.

“Madam Mayor, what can I get for you?” Ruby’s pen hovered over a tiny pad of restaurant checks.

“Ungh,” Emma replied, letting her arm fall to the counter and dropping her forehead onto it. 

“Um…” Ruby’s mumble of discomfort reminded her again that she, Regina, and the Charmings were the only ones who knew about the swap. Right.

“Coffee,” she mumbled, hoping that the waitress could hear her muffled words. She lifted her head back into her palm. “It’s me, Rubes.” 

“Um, sorry?” 

“Emma. Something happened and Regina and I got switched. And now I’m stuck in her body and she’s stuck in mine.”

“Oh.” Ruby’s entire demeanor shifted as the words sunk in. “ _Oh!_ ” She leaned across the bar. “Em, are you okay? How the hell did this happen? That explains a lot, actually. I should have known. I mean, Regina would never let herself be seen in public wearing _that_.” Emma scowled at the subtle insult but Ruby just shrugged and continued to babble. “Dude, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in anything other than like...formal business wear. She’d never wear jeans and an old t-shirt. Actually, she’d probably faint if she saw you now.” 

“These are my nice jeans!” Emma protested, but Ruby only raised an eyebrow.

“Whatever. So are you going to tell me what happened?” She threw the question over her shoulder as she turned to grab a mug and the coffee pot. She filled it to the brim, sliding the cup across the bar with a knowing smile. Emma made a noise of appreciation before leaning to slurp off enough that she could pick it up without spilling. 

It was only after she’d downed nearly half of it black that she spoke. “We don’t know. We spent the whole damned day yesterday trying to figure that out.”

“Mm.” Ruby’s bright red lips twisted in thought. “Well, there are only a few people in town who can use magic, right?"

Emma nodded. "Yeah, but it wasn't me and it wasn't Regina. Gold says it wasn't him either, but I'm not sure I believe him."

Ruby tapped her pen against her chin. "Well, can you fix it? You know, reverse it?” 

Emma groaned. “We’ve gone through every option, apparently. We even went to Gold for help. All we got was the same thing Regina said: We can’t reverse it until we know how it was done in the first place. Not without nasty side effects, at least.” Emma wrinkled her nose, recalling the way Regina had blanched at the mention of them. Anything that scared Regina of all people was bound to be horrid, especially if she thought staying in Emma's body was a more appealing option. She traced a finger of her free hand around the rim of the mug. “I’m so done with this and it’s barely been a full day.” Emma eyed her. “You seem to be strangely...not weirded out by this. Everyone does.” 

“We’re all from the Enchanted Forest, remember? Most of us grew up around ogres and mermaids. Witches and Dragons and things. I turn into a wolf for gods sakes. It’s not really that weird for any of us.” Ruby smiled sympathetically. “It probably is for you, sorry. How are you handling it?” Emma shrugged. She was still getting used to everything, even though it had been over a year since the curse had broken. “Hey, at least you switched with her and not like...your mom or something. Showering would be super weird.” 

Emma winced at the mention of showering. She felt grimy and her short black hair had grown greasy, but she hadn’t been able to force herself in the shower last night, or this morning when she’d tried again. Changing was one thing, but showering...Showering involved being naked in Regina’s body for an extended period of time. Touching Regina’s naked body. Rubbing soap over Regina’s skin. 

And that was not what she needed to be thinking about. 

Those thoughts were the exact reason she was still sporting yesterday’s dirt. Thinking about Regina in that manner while she occupied her body just felt so wrong, but it was hard to ignore her physical attraction towards the other woman. She’d noted it when she’d first come to Storybrooke -- if Regina hadn’t made them enemies, Emma surely would have made them something else entirely. Or at least tried. She couldn’t say the attraction had died down once she’d realized how difficult of a woman that Regina was, but it had certainly been pushed to the side. Now that Regina was making an attempt at reform for Henry’s sake, it had flared and forced its way front and center, accompanied by something that was more than just physical. 

“Like it won’t be with Regina?” She tried to play it off as a joke, but Ruby tilted her head and leaned forward. 

“It’s gotta be less awkward than if it was somebody you were related to.” The waitress noted the way Emma grimaced and quirked an eyebrow. “Unless you’re afraid of seeing Regina naked?” 

“What? No, I--” Emma glanced around, hoping that nobody was within earshot. She was pleased to note that most of those who’d been seated near her at the bar had picked up and shifted into seats away from her. Was that what it was like for Regina? Emma knew that it was probably nothing short of hurtful for the former mayor, but right now it was convenient. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You know I’m not. I just hoped that, you know, it’d be different.” 

“You hoped that it’d be a naked and sweaty kinda deal rather than a naked and alone kind of thing,” Ruby supplied, wiggling her brow, and Emma nearly spit out her coffee. 

She choked it down. “Yeah, sure. That.” Emma smiled despite herself, but it faltered when she remembered how she and the other woman had parted. “There’s more. Mary Margaret thought she was me and--” She was cut off by Granny’s call to Ruby to get back to work, and Emma rolled her eyes at the exasperated look Ruby threw her before turning away with a muttering of be right back. The blonde -- or, well, brunette, currently -- watched as her went around topping off coffee mugs and gathering used dishes. 

The younger woman had become her confidant for all things Regina fairly quickly after Emma had come to town. The waitress had caught her checking the mayor out. Emma had been incredibly embarrassed until Ruby shook her head and said, “You too, huh?” From then on the pair had taken to a routine of Emma babbling about something attractive Regina had done and Ruby nodding along with an amused smile. There had been one night when Emma had gotten drunk and spent nearly an hour going on about Regina’s legs and what her fuck-me-heels did to them, and Ruby had just listened and laughed and agreed, and drove her home when the night was through. Emma owed her, to say the least. The girl had been a better friend to her than most.

“Okay,” Ruby bounced back to her former position, depositing the nearly empty coffee pot on the counter behind her and spinning to face Emma in one smooth movement. “So spill. Mary Margaret thought she was you. Go on,” She prompted. 

Emma swallowed. Something twisted in her gut as she willed herself to speak. “The night before last I was talking to Mary Margaret about...you know.” She ducked her head just in time to avoid the brilliant smile Ruby cast her way each time she mentioned any emotional attachment to Regina. She could feel a flush rising in her cheeks. "I guess she said something about it to her.” Emma glanced up again to see Ruby’s hazel eyes widen. 

“What? What did she say?” 

“Who, Regina or Mary Margaret?” 

“Mary Margaret! I mean, did she say it say it or was it just a hint? Because if it was just a hint then Regina may not--”

“No, no, it was…” Emma cut the younger girl off. “I don’t know exactly what she said but I know it was enough that Regina got the point. She, uh, told me.” 

"Oh. Oh my god, Em. So she knows? How did she take it?"

Emma lifted her head away from her hand in favor of fiddling with her coffee mug. A bit of the brown liquid still sloshed at the bottom, but the acidity of drinking it black was starting to get to her stomach. Or maybe that was just the reality of the situation hitting her. She shrugged by way of answer. When Ruby didn't seem to accept that, she added, "Mary Margaret said she thought it was a trick. That she seemed shocked. And then she was really...I don't know, jumpy the rest of the day. And she freaked out in Gold's shop after he said something. When I asked her about it she said it was because of...that." "What does Gold have anything to do with it?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well what was it that he said to set her off?"

"He said something about being able to break any curse, but Regina freaked out and said it wasn't an option for her, just for me. Then Gold said it should be both of us together and disappeared. When I tried to ask Regina about it she flipped and ran out." Emma slumped against the counter, feeling defeated. 

"...Emma." She could feel Ruby's eyes on her and she waited for her to continue. When she didn't, Emma glanced up to see the waitress regarding her with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. The look was almost too much to handle and she caved.

"What?"

"Break any curse. You do know what does that, right?" Ruby had dropped all teasing, her voice taking on a serious quality that Emma rarely heard. It was disconcerting.

She frowned. "Mary Margaret asked me that too and then she wouldn't explain. No, I really don't."

Ruby fiddled with her pen, suddenly avoiding the sheriff's eyes. "Um, Emma, I think he was talking about...you know. True Love's Kiss."

Emma felt her face go hot. “But...he said that Regina and I should try it together. He couldn’t have meant…” 

“He might have, Em.” She broke into a smile, nudging Emma’s arm with her hand. “It could work. Have you tested it yet?” 

Emma ducked her head, trying to hide the smile that the thought of kissing Regina brought to her face. “No. Of course not. It wouldn’t work. Regina doesn’t have feelings for me. Not the warm and fuzzy kind, anyway.” 

“I don’t know, maybe she does. You never know until you ask her.” Emma regarded her skeptically and she shrugged. “She was in here earlier, actually. With Henry. She seemed kind of frazzled. Of course, I thought she was you. Kinda thought you were mad at me.” 

“Oh god. The whole town’s going to think I hate them,” Emma groaned. She was far from a ray of sunshine herself, but Regina reached a whole new level of abrasive. 

“Sheriff Swan’s gone frigid and Regina’s suddenly wearing her equivalent of sweatpants and bunny slippers. Hell must have frozen over.” 

“Bunny slippers?” Emma protested and Ruby peered around the counter at her feet. “Okay, fine,” Emma conceded, following the other girl’s eyes to the old, ratty sneakers she was wearing. She’d stuffed a sock into each of the toes in an attempt to make up for the fact that Regina’s feet were a few sizes smaller than her own. “But Regina’s feet are smaller than mine and there was no way I was going to put her fuck me heels back on.” 

“Ruby!” 

The waitress spun to see Granny, arms crossed over her chest and an exasperated expression on her face. 

“Okay, I have to go before Granny kills me.” Ruby rolled her eyes before turning, sending a wink Emma’s way. “Oh, and test Gold’s theory!” 

“What? No, Ruby it won’t -- she doesn’t--” 

“So then get her to!” Ruby called over her shoulder before disappearing into the kitchen. Emma sighed and drained the rest of the coffee from the mug, folding a five and slipping it underneath before sliding off the stool. Just get Regina to fall for her. As if it’d be easy.


	6. Chapter 6

Later that day Emma found herself spinning in front of the full-length mirror in her room, taking in -- taking in, not appreciating -- the way her sweatpants fell across the curves of Regina’s body. She had to admit that though the casual attire looked out of place on her, the look was also kind of cute. Emma had resigned herself to them after she returned from her trip to Granny’s. She’d been planning on heading over to the former mayor’s house directly after, but she’d left her cell phone at home. By the time she’d made it back to the apartment the jeans were just too uncomfortable, and she’d stripped them off to reveal deep, sore red marks etched into her skin. After that, the sweatpants she’d dug from her drawer felt like heaven.

What wouldn’t be heaven, however, was Regina’s inevitable reaction when she found out Emma had left the house in them. 

She sighed as she turned away from her reflection and moved to tug on her old sneakers again, first checking to make sure the socks were still stuffed neatly into the toes. Emma was thankful that it was Tuesday and Mary Margaret was at work. This was only day two and yet she’d already grown tired of the strange and slightly embarrassed looks her mother kept throwing her. She understood, of course--Regina was both Snow’s mom and mortal enemy for a time, so it made sense that having her, or what appeared to be her, treating her home as if it was her own was probably a little disconcerting to say the least. 

If it was weird for Mary Margaret, Emma thought, it was doubly so for her. 

Okay, maybe not quite doubly -- step mom and enemy vs. woman she shares a kid with and is stupidly attracted to -- but still. She was the one who actually traded bodies with someone. Mary Margaret could let up on the looks. They weren’t making this whole thing any easier to deal with. 

By the time Emma pulled into Regina’s driveway and clambered out of her bug she’d grown nervous. The last time she’d seen the other woman had ended in an embarrassing conversation and Emma covering her face like a seventh grader. _Here’s hoping this time goes better_ , she thought before wiping her sweaty hands on the legs of her pants and following the path to Regina’s door. 

The door flew open before she’d even dropped her fist from knocking. 

“Emma!” Before she knew it Henry slammed into her, wrapping his arms around her waist. 

She gave him a quick squeeze, still not quite used to the frequent embraces, before extricating herself from his grip and glancing around him into the house. “Hey, kid. So your mom told you about...uh, this?” She gestured vaguely to herself. 

Henry smiled, nearly bouncing on his sock-clad toes. “Yeah, she did. It’s so cool. It’s so weird seeing you act like my mom.” He pulled back a little and his smile grew larger. “And my mom in sweatpants.” 

“Has she never worn anything like this before? Not even when she’s just bumming around the house?” 

Henry shrugged. “Not really. She’s always doing something anyways. She doesn’t...bum.” 

Emma rolled her eyes. “Right, of course. Speaking of your mom, is she here?” 

“I think she’s in the kitchen.” Henry stepped aside, letting Emma brush past him. 

Regina was standing at the sink, busy loading dirty dishes into the dishwasher. Emma leaned on the doorframe, knocking awkwardly on the wood when the other woman didn’t turn at her entrance. 

She glanced over her shoulder at the noise, giving Emma a quick nod and a “Miss Swan,” before moving to rinse her hands and dry them on a dish towel. “What can I do for you?” 

Emma shrugged. “I guess I thought we could figure something out? Like, what we’re going to do in the mean time.” She suddenly felt like an idiot -- she hadn’t really had a reason for coming over, other than that this whole situation was a mess and Regina was really the only one in it with her. 

Regina raised an eyebrow. “There’s really nothing _to_ do. We need to find whoever did this and reverse it. I’m still looking through my books for a solution I might have missed. Until then you can go about your life as normal.” She stated the words as if they should be obvious. 

“But…” Emma wanted to argue, point out that how could she go about her daily life if they were stuck in some bizarre Freaky Friday situation? Instead she closed her mouth, turning her eyes to the floor as she formulated a response. 

“Did you really have to dress me in those filthy things?” 

The former mayor’s words drew her out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see Regina eyeing her sweatpants. “What? These are perfectly clean!” 

“You look homeless.” 

“I do not!” Emma glanced down at her outfit. The t-shirt she’d chosen was actually quite pretty -- form-fitting red and black, and the sweatpants were just your everyday black lounge bottoms. The only part of the outfit that really looked dirty was the sneakers. 

Regina stepped out from around the counter, walking around to lean her back on the island so that she was facing Emma. Okay, compared to her, she _did_ look homeless. But then again, didn’t everyone? Regina had dressed her body in a simple white blouse and black slacks (loose fabric at the butt, of course), but the way her hair was pulled back into a perfect, smooth bun made her look like a runway model for business casual. There wasn’t a lock of hair out of place. Emma was used to her curls just doing as they pleased. Seeing herself look so... _flawless_ was strange, considering Emma had always preferred her loose curls and leather jacket. She didn’t do primped and polished. 

"I don't look homeless, you look ridiculous," she grumbled, more to herself than to Regina. 

“I think it’s an improvement on your usual wardrobe.” She raised an eyebrow, stepping forward as she once again gave Emma a once over. “Example A.” 

“Look, Regina, I didn’t come here to have you insult me, so...what?” 

“Your hair looks greasy. _My_ hair looks greasy. Have you not showered yet?” 

“I...no. It's only been a day.” Emma could feel the blush rising in her cheeks. She’d tried, really, but it felt too odd. 

Regina shook her head, exasperation crossing her features. She disappeared from the kitchen without a word, returning a moment later with something in her arms. 

She all but shoved the towel into her hands. “The bathroom’s upstairs. You can use my shower. Use the shampoo in the blue bottle and the conditioner in the silver one. There’s a package of fresh razors in the medicine cabinet. You are _not_ leaving my body dirty.” 

“Wh...What?” Emma stammered, staring at the towel in her hands as if it was some foreign object. 

“Did you not hear me? You’re not going to leave my body dirty. Go and use my shower.” 

“But…” 

Regina rolled her eyes. “You’re going to have to get over the nudity issue. Now go shower.” 

“...Fine.” She took the towel from Regina, who peered at her expectantly until she turned and made her way up the stairs. She passed Henry’s room on the way to Regina’s and ducked her head in, taking any opportunity to stall that she could. He was bent over something on his bed, back to her. “Hey, kid.” 

He jumped at the sound of her voice and immediately shoved whatever he’d been looking at under his covers before turning to her with a bright smile. Emma frowned, making a mental note to come back and look for whatever it was he was hiding when he wasn’t around. 

“Hi, Emma.” His smile had become artificial and he seemed a little nervous. 

“What’s up?” Emma eyed the rumpled blankets. She contemplated confronting him about it, but she knew from her experiences in foster homes that doing so would only make him less likely to admit to anything. 

Henry shrugged. “Nothing, really.” He squirmed, eyes flickering momentarily to where he’d stashed whatever he’d been doing. Kid wasn’t exactly subtle. 

Emma narrowed her eyes. “Right.” She stood there for a moment longer, watching Henry wriggle impatiently under her gaze. “Okay then. You...have fun.” She turned and headed for Regina's room, trying to ignore the knot in her stomach. 

*

Regina braced her palms on the marble countertop, inhaling to clear her head. Emma was upstairs, naked in her body, in her shower. 

She’d taken one this morning, unable to cope with the greasy feeling of her skin any longer. She’d tried to make the shower as short and efficient as she could, only allowing herself a quick moment to relax under the hot spray. She wasn’t sure if it was more out of respect for Emma or her own embarrassment, but she only hoped Emma would afford her the same courtesy. Normally after a day like the one she’d had she would draw a hot bath and soak until the water grew cold, but in someone else’s body, she wasn’t eager to prolong her bathing. 

Especially since that body belonged to Emma Swan. 

Emma was an attractive woman, she could admit that much. There had been more than one occasion where she’d found herself looking the blonde up and down. After all, there was no harm in looking. And only looking. 

Now she had to touch this body, wash it, dress it, see that face in the mirror in place of her own. And now, even looking felt wrong. 

She’d avoided looking in the mirror as she stepped into the shower. 

And here she was, telling Emma to be an adult, as if she had complete control over the situation. 

Regina unwound Emma’s hair from the tight bun and massaged her scalp. Everything on her ached: her head from having her hair up all day and her muscles from that horrible thing Emma had called a bed. It’d been more than twenty four hours, and she’d slept in her own bed since then, but she still felt the soreness. She found herself wondering if Emma was just permanently achey. 

She took a moment to stretch, waiting until she heard the shower stop to head up to her bedroom and pull an outfit from her dresser. She knocked on the door a few times and Emma opened it, wrapped up in the fluffy towel Regina had forced on her. Without a word she brushed past the woman and entered the bathroom. 

She placed the neatly folded stack of her own, much more suitable clothing on the sink before bending to pick up the ratty pile that was Emma's garments. She began to fold those too. "You can get dressed now." 

"...You mean with you in here?" 

She glanced away from her folding to see Emma staring at her, eyes widened. A furious blush was creeping up her cheeks, and Regina rolled her eyes. Actually, she hadn't meant that. She was going to collect the other woman's rags and leave her. "No, you idiot. Tell me, what is it that makes you so _incredibly_ uncomfortable? You do realize that's my body. You'd be exposing me to myself, not you. It's nothing I haven't seen before." 

"I..." 

She shook her head, not waiting for Emma to formulate a response. “It’s strange for me too, but we’re going to have to deal with it until we come up with a way to reverse this. Now get dressed.” She threw Emma one last pointed look before exiting the bathroom, closing the door behind her. 

Regina waited on her bed. She stretched out as fully as she could, even going so far as to bend over and grasp her toes. Emma’s body was as flexible as her own had been, maybe a little more. She let out a soft groan as her spine popped. 

She didn’t bother to look up when she heard the bathroom door open. Instead she just said, “Your bed is horrible, Miss Swan. You should consider buying a new one.” 

“What makes you say that?” 

“I’m sore all over.” 

“How do you know that’s due to the bed?” 

“When I woke up the other morning it was hard as a rock.” She unfolded herself, crossing her legs as she turned to look at Emma. “That can’t be good for your back.” 

“Maybe I like it that way.” Emma shrugged before eyeing her. She shifted for a moment, indecision crossing her features. “Is it in your lower back and below your shoulder blades?” 

Of course Emma would know her own body. “It’s everywhere, but yes. Mainly there.” Regina regarded the other woman skeptically. “Why?” 

Emma shifted some more. 

“I haven’t got all day, Miss Swan. Spit it out.” 

The blonde sighed. “I could help, if you want. I know how to make it stop.” 

“And how would you do that?” 

“If I gave you a massage, I could make it go away.” 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not even going to pretend I have an excuse for updating this so late. Sorry guys. Also, I haven't proofread this chapter yet, h a. So yeah, if there are any mistakes or seemingly out of place bits that's why. Enjoy anyways, hopefully.

“It’s just -- it’s just what always worked for me,” Emma rushed the words, feeling her cheeks burn. She hoped that it wasn’t as obvious as it felt. Hopefully Regina’s skin tone would give her some coverage.

The other woman was still sitting cross-legged on the bed, an unreadable expression on her face. 

After a moment Emma felt the need to break the silence. “I didn’t mean it like...you know. Just to help you. It’s my body, so I know what works. I mean, I’ve had that pain for like a long time. Since I came to Storybrooke, actually, so yeah, it probably is the bed. But if I can get over your back and press in with my knuckles, I can...” Regina held up a hand and she drifted off. “Sorry,” she mumbled, well aware that she’d been rambling. 

A moment passed and Emma felt herself growing nervous again, but then Regina opened her mouth to speak. “Okay.” The word was quiet, and for a moment she thought she might have imagined it. When Regina nodded and turned to lay on her stomach, Emma let out a breath of relief. 

“I’m, um, going to have to like...straddle your hips.” She mumbled as she climbed onto the bed. 

“Fine. It’s your body, remember?” Regina replied, folding her arms under her head and turning it so that her face was hidden. 

“Right.” Emma swallowed and swung a leg over the other woman. Rather than sit down completely, she hovered about an inch in the air. She’d sit when she absolutely had to, and not a moment sooner. “This will work better if you take your shirt off.” 

“What?” 

A smile twitched at her lips. “Aren’t you the one who was going on about your body, my body?” 

Regina didn’t dignify that with a response, just huffed and pushed herself up with her arms. “You’re going to have to move, Miss Swan.” 

“Oh, right.” Emma blushed when Regina quickly shucked the garment, even though she was fully aware that she was looking at her own body. Man, that was weird, but something about the knowledge that it was really Regina undressing had her cheeks burning again. 

The same turned out to be true for the moaning. 

After Regina had settled back into the bed Emma had gotten to work, and even though she knew it was weird, really weird, and incredibly wrong, the moans were getting to her. 

It was her voice, but the sounds were different. 

Emma had always been more of a screamer and a whimperer, but apparently Regina was not. It had taken the other woman a moment to relax, but after awhile soft, dark noises had begun to escape her throat with every passing of Emma’s fingers. It was wrong, but Emma knew that even though the body underneath her was her own, it was Regina making those obscene sounds. 

She needed to stop. It was just too weird. 

A glance at the clock had told her that Regina had gotten a good twenty minutes. That was enough, right? 

“I’m sorry, I uh, have to be somewhere.” 

***

Granny’s was quickly becoming Emma’s hideaway from the situation. Oddly enough, the public setting was the only place she could escape the strange glances and stares. Granted, most of those were coming from Regina and her parents lately. “Got her to fall in love with you already, did you?” Ruby called, sauntering out of the kitchen with a rag tossed over her shoulder. “That was quick.” 

Emma shook her head. “God, Rubes, I’m such an idiot.” She buried her face in her arms, thankful that the diner was usually dead between the lunch and dinner rushes. “Idiot, idiot, idiot. I made it worse.” 

“Uh oh. What happened?”

“What happened is I’m dumb. And a perv, apparently,” She mumbled from the countertop. “I’m so fucked.” 

Ruby laughed, leaning on the counter beside her. “I already knew you were a perv. You come in here to obsess about Regina’s ass on a regular basis. Of course you’re a perv. We’re both pervs.” 

“At least it was somebody else’s ass,” Emma mumbled, picking her head up and resting her chin on her arms. “I just gave her a massage.” 

Ruby cocked a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “And that makes you a perv?” She paused, eyes widening. “Wait, you got Regina to let you give her a massage?” 

“It makes me a perv if she made stupid moaning noises and I got turned on.” Emma groaned. “God, does that make me a horrible person?” 

“Honey, if I had a hottie like that moaning underneath me you can bet I’d get turned on too.” 

“Well yeah but, she’s in my body! With my voice!” Emma trailed her fingers on the counter. “I mean, I knew that. It was just that I knew it was her making those noises, and I just...I don’t know. Ugh, I’m a perv.” 

Rolling her eyes, Ruby tossed her rag aside and pulled up a mug. “Alright, stop calling yourself a perv. It’s alright. More than that, it’s understandable. I’ve been getting off to the thought of Regina moaning for twenty eight years. Mentally, of course,” She added, casting a devilish glance Emma’s way. “...Most of the time. Here, hot chocolate with cinnamon, on me.” She pushed the now-full cup across the counter. “Second free drink in one day. You’re on a roll, Em.” 

Emma gave a weak smile. “Thanks, Rubes.” 

“Yeah, you better thank me. I’ve endured so much shit from Granny about you coming here and “chatting me up” during business hours.” 

“You want me to leave?” 

“Hell no. You’re the most interesting patron this diner ever gets. Besides, the mayor in sweatpants? Kinda hot.” Emma only rolled her eyes, and Ruby smiled. “So, how did you leave it?” She pursed her painted lips. “Okay, ouch. Judging by the look you just gave me I’m going to go with not good?” 

Emma groaned. “After about 20 minutes I freaked out and told her I had to leave. After that it was just...awkward. More awkward than when she found out I had...you know, feelings.” She sighed, dipping her finger into the whipped cream of her cocoa and licking it clean. “I bet she’s home kicking herself for even agreeing to it in the first place. Which was weird, right?” 

“What, that she let you give her a back rub? Yeah, I mean...well, I don’t know.” Ruby leaned forward, pausing her cleaning. “Now that I think about it, it’s not exactly shocking.” 

“The frigid ice queen mayor let a woman she’s hated since, well, her birth, straddle her ass and rub her hands on her back for 20 minutes. That doesn’t surprise you?”

“No.” The brunette shrugged. “Well yes but, the thing is, she’s in your body, not hers. She’s probably more comfortable using your body in a way she normally wouldn’t use her own. Which sounds awful, but it’s true with most people. Plus, she doesn’t hate you,” She added.

Emma wrinkled her nose. “I never thought of it like that.” She paused, dipping another finger into her drink. “Seriously though, she’s tried to kill me at least four times, and that’s not including when I was a baby. I’m pretty sure there’s some hatred in there.” 

“Eh, you were destined to break her curse, that’s all.” Ruby glanced around at the patrons, ensuring nobody would overhear as she leaned closer to Emma’s face. “And she’s not really an ice queen, either. Bit of a freak, actually.” 

“And how would you know that? Not firsthand, I assume.” 

Ruby only smirked at her, a devious glint in her eyes. 

Emma rolled her eyes. “Okay, you seriously don’t expect me to believe you slept with Regina and you never told me about it.” 

“Okay fine, but I slept with somebody who did. Like, a lot.” 

“Who, Graham?” 

She shook her head.

“...Okay, well I’m pretty much out of options. Tell me.” 

Ruby shook her head again. “I can’t. Not my secret to tell.” 

“Oh come on! You can’t say something like that and then shut up about it. That’s not fair,” Emma pouted before perking up. “What if I told you I slept with Hook?” 

She could have sworn Ruby’s jaw actually dropped. “You did?! Holy shit, when?” Emma held a finger to her lips and raised her eyebrows. “Oh my god, fine.” She dropped her voice, despite the fact that the nearest customer was on the other side of the diner. “Jefferson.” 

“You slept with Jefferson?!” Emma hissed back, eyes widening. The only time she’d met the guy was when he’d kidnapped her and Mary Margaret and tried to convince her she could make a magic hat. He’d been right, but still, there had to have been a better way to handle the situation. Starting with, you know, not drugging her. “Wait a minute, Regina slept with Jefferson? Really?” 

Ruby shrugged, picking up her rag and resuming her scrubbing at a stern glance from her grandmother. “Not since Storybrooke, but I guess they had a thing back in the Enchanted Forest. And from what I hear, Regina liked to be tied up and pushed against a wall.” 

“Holy shit. Okay, no, I should not be listening to this.” Gossiping about Regina’s sex life was the last thing she needed to be doing if she wanted to earn the other’s trust.

“Suit yourself.” She smacked Emma’s arm. “Okay, details. when the hell did you bang Hook?” 

“I didn’t.” Emma gave a sheepish grin, trying not to laugh at the expression on Ruby’s face. “Sorry.” 

“You bitch, I was going to live vicariously through you.” She hit Emma on the arm again, this time with the rag. “I hate you,” She attempted, but the smile on her lips gave her away.

“No you don’t. Besides, you don’t have to live vicariously there. I’m pretty sure he’d do you in a heartbeat.” 

“I don’t know, Ems, he’s pretty hung up on you. I can’t see him going for anyone else.” 

“Don’t remind me,” Emma mumbled, resting her chin in her palm. Hook was crude and his advances were often unwelcome, but he’d proven himself many times in Neverland and honestly, he’d never tried anything without her permission. He’d just bombarded her with innuendos. She felt a little bad about kissing him when she so clearly knew she didn’t want to pursue anything with him. She’d only seen him once since she’d told him so, and so far he was respecting her decision. He was hurt, sure, but respectful. “I didn’t sleep with him, but I did kiss him. Hard,” Emma admitted, cheeks flushing. It had been a good kiss, even if it hadn’t meant anything. Even if she would have rather been kissing the fiery brunette back at camp. 

“Oh, damn. Was he good? Who started it? Was there tongue?” Emma laughed at Ruby’s interrogation and the brunette frowned. “Hey. C’mon, Em. It’s been a month since I’ve gotten any; I want details.” 

Emma obliged, telling Ruby that yes, there was tongue, he was a surprisingly good kisser, and that she’d actually really enjoyed tugging at that leather coat. Ruby informed her that Regina wore a lot of leather during her time as Queen -- thanks, Rubes, that really helps my current situation -- And that she used it to seduce people. Women too. Even better, thanks a lot. Just as Emma is turning into a groaning ball of frustration (Not that she wasn’t already), Ruby smirked and paused her barrage of questions. “What?” The other woman was looking over her shoulder. 

Ruby gave her one last glance before cooing, “Madame Mayor, how nice of you to join us.” Whispering so that only Emma could hear her, she added, “Okay, you in a pantsuit is just as hot as her in sweatpants.” With that she spun on her heel and ducked into the kitchen, leaving Emma on her own as Regina slid into the bar stool next to her. 

“I was told I would find you here,” Regina began, clasping her hands on the countertop and fiddling with her thumbs. “Apparently this is where you go most of the time.” 

“Yeah, well. Mary Margaret keeps looking at me like I might chop her up and make her into a stew.”

Regina glared out of the corner of her eye. “I’m not a cannibal. I wouldn’t eat her; I’d rip her heart out.” 

Emma raised her brow, keeping her eyes on her barely-touched cocoa. “And then eat it?” 

“That’s disgusting.” 

Emma chuckled. “So you’d still take her heart?”

She heard the other woman sigh. “No, probably not. But don’t tell her that.” Emma could hear the tiniest hint of a smile in her voice. 

Running her finger around the rim of her drink, Emma decided to risk a glance at the older woman. She was still wearing the outfit from earlier, but a few strands of blonde hair had made their way out of the bun and fallen around her face. Regina’s gaze was fixed on her hands, which sat folded in front of her. 

“You’d think that after Neverland she wouldn’t look at you -- er, me -- like that anymore. At least not so much.” 

Regina gave a dark laugh. “Well I did try and kill her on several occasions, you know. Old habits die hard; I’m sure it’s more of an instinctive response than it is a conscious one.”

“Mm,” Emma mumbled by way of acknowledgement. A minute or two passed before she broke the silence. “So you said you were looking for me?” 

Regina sighed, finally meeting her eyes. “Yes, I was. I…” She frowned, as if not sure what she wanted to say. “I suppose I’m unhappy with the way things have been between us. I wanted to apologize for having been so hostile. We’re obviously going to have to live as each other and work together for awhile. I shouldn’t be at your throat all the time.” She cleared her throat, dropping her gaze. “So, no more fighting?”

“...Yeah,” Emma replied, hoping the surprise in her voice wasn’t as obvious as she thought. 

“Is something wrong?” Regina asked.

“No, it’s just that you’re not really the apology type.” She brought her cocoa to her lips, savoring the sweetness. “And I mean, you haven’t really done anything wrong. You’ve just been sarcastic, I guess, but it’s not like that’s anything out of the ordinary.”

“Well,” Regina began, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, “I’m trying to be better. For Henry,” She clarified. “He said he saw you ran out and demanded that I apologize. Of course he assumed that I’d been the one to do something wrong…” She trailed off. “But that’s beside the point. I don’t know why exactly you ran out of my house and I won’t ask to know. But I’m holding up my promise to him and apologizing for...everything else.” She swallowed, fiddling with her fingers. “And not just the sarcasm. Everything.” She met Emma’s eyes again. “The way you grew up was because of my curse. And the way I behaved when you first came to town, all of it. I’m sorry.” 

“I…” Emma fumbled for words. She wanted to tell Regina that she wasn’t to blame for what had happened in the past, but in truth, it was. Still, she wanted her to know that wasn’t how she thought of her. “Regina, that’s not…” 

The older woman held up a hand. “You don’t have to say anything. I don’t expect forgiveness, nor do I deserve it. I’ve done horrible things, and I need to own up to it.” 

“I’m not arguing that, Regina, but I know you’re trying, okay?” Emma swallowed, wording her next comment carefully. “I know you’ve been trying to be a better person. For Henry, yeah, but I think for yourself, too. And it’s working. I mean, you’re…” She sighed. “I see it, okay? And I'm sorry too. I haven't exactly been innocent in all this.”

“Thank you.” Regina gave a small smile before sliding out of the bar stool. “...I suppose I should be going.” She tucked a few errant strands of hair behind her ear. “Henry will be getting hungry soon, I need to make dinner.” 

“Or you could stay, and have a drink with me?” Emma held up her cocoa, realizing that it sounded like she was asking the other woman on a date. “I mean, we could...I don’t know, talk.” She’d known Regina for nearly a year now and they’d been to hell and back together, but she’d never had a chance to really sit down and just talk with her. She’d always assumed the request would be rejected, laughed at, but maybe now…

“Thank you,” Regina said, shaking her head, “But I really have to go.” 

Trying to ignore the pang of disappointment in her chest, Emma nodded. “Sure. See you tomorrow?” 

Regina nodded before hurrying out of the diner. Emma slumped back in her seat -- she hadn’t realized she’d been that tense -- and began to drain her cocoa. That was the most civil talk she’d had with the former Queen in, well, ever. 

“Progress!” Ruby sang, appearing out of the back room. 

Emma narrowed her eyes. “Were you watching the whole time?” 

“And listening,” She added, seeming pleased with herself. “See, you’re not an idiot.” 

“Yeah, well.” Emma couldn’t help the smile that was tugging at her lips. She attempted to cover it by finishing her drink, but judging by the grin Ruby was wearing when she looked up again, she’d failed. “Stop that.” 

“Hell no. I was right, she doesn’t hate you, and you’re making progress. At this rate, you’ll be kissing her within the week.” 

Emma rolled her eyes. “I told you, that’s not going to happen.”

“Sure it’s not.” Ruby took the empty mug from her and winked. “Alright, I gotta get back to work before Grams kills me. See you later, ladykiller.”

“Ladykiller? Seriously?” Emma whined, but Ruby was already making her way towards the kitchen. “That’s your worst one yet.” 

The other woman just flashed a smile over her shoulder before ducking into the back. 

She was right, though. It was progress. Major progress. 


End file.
